Network Slice Selection via Broadcast QoS Values

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

In 5G cellular networks, user equipment lacks an efficient method to select the appropriate network slice and frequency for desired services, as providing a list of all network slices and access information is time and power consuming, and there is no signaling between the core network and RAN regarding user equipment registration or desired services.

Innovation Solution

A method for user equipment to receive quality of service values from base stations, prioritize them based on preferred services, and select the best base station and frequency for network slice attachment, using signaling to determine supported services and frequencies, and sending a network slice selection message to the serving base station for attachment.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If the network provides a list of all network slices and access information, then the user equipment can select the appropriate network slice, but the signaling overhead and power consumption increase significantly

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvenetwork slice selection capabilityVSAvoidpower consumption
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSLoss of energy

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts only the essential quality of service values from the complete network slice information and broadcasts these condensed values. This allows user equipment to make selection decisions without receiving or processing the full list of all network slices, thereby reducing power consumption while maintaining selection capability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

Instead of providing complete network slice information (excessive action), the system provides only the necessary quality of service values (partial action). This partial provision is sufficient for user equipment to perform meaningful selections without the overhead of transmitting and processing complete slice inventories.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #16Partial or excessive action

2Adaptability or versatility

If the network provides complete network slice information, then the user equipment can make informed selections, but the signaling time and processing requirements increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveservice selection accuracyVSAvoidsignaling time
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts only the essential quality of service values from the complete network slice information and broadcasts these condensed values. This allows user equipment to make selection decisions without receiving or processing the full list of all network slices, thereby reducing power consumption while maintaining selection capability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The network performs preliminary processing by pre-calculating and broadcasting quality of service values before user equipment needs to make selections. This preliminary action eliminates the need for user equipment to process complete network slice lists in real-time, reducing signaling time and enabling faster selection decisions.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

3Productivity

If the base station knows user equipment service preferences, then frequency redirection can be optimized, but the network complexity and signaling requirements increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveservice execution efficiencyVSAvoidnetwork signaling complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The user equipment performs self-service by autonomously selecting network slices and frequencies based on its own service preferences and the broadcast quality of service values. This eliminates the need for complex network-side tracking and management of individual user preferences, reducing network complexity while maintaining optimization capability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

Instead of the network actively managing and tracking user equipment service preferences (complex network-side approach), the system inverts the approach by having user equipment autonomously make decisions based on minimal network-provided guidance (quality of service values). This inversion significantly reduces network signaling complexity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #13The other way round (Inversion)

Data Source

PatentUS12120547B2Method for selection of a network slice
Publication Date: 2024.10.15 THALES DIS AIS DEUT GMBH
  • US12120547B2 patent drawing
  • US12120547B2 patent drawing
  • US12120547B2 patent drawing

AI summary

A method for selection of a network slice by a user equipment operating in a cellular network includes the steps of: receiving, from at least one of a plurality of base stations, a signalling indicating a set of quality of service values supported by at least one of the base stations, determining at least one supported network service for respective base stations, prioritizing the base stations by means of said determined supported network service in consideration of at least one out of the list of preferred network services, selecting one of the base stations considering said prioritization of frequencies, and to set up a preferred network service: sending a network slice selection message indicating a quality of service value relating to the network service, sending an attach request via the serving base station to the network mobility unit.